Consumers are increasingly demanding devices that can perform multiple tasks. Recent advancements in smart phones and other portable communication devices are geared towards making these devices as versatile as possible.
In many instances, these consumer devices have to work in conjunction with other devices to realize expanded functionalities. Such other devices are commonly referred to as accessories. An accessory usually performs some specialized function in conjunction with the consumer device. For example, a consumer device having text input capability can be connected to an external keyboard accessory for text input since the keyboard of the consumer device may not be easily operable, particularly by persons with disabilities or limited use of their hands. There are numerous accessories that are being sold in the market today for use with such consumer devices.
It is often difficult to enter text input using accessories that provide less user operable controls than an external keyboard, e.g., joysticks. Using such accessories in conjunction with an on-screen keyboard provided by the consumer device to enter text input can often be time consuming and frustrating for a user.